I have my substrate professionally stretched with double primed 10 ounce canvas (cotton duck), and before any oil painting is started I apply two coats of water based oil primer. This is a very important step as you cannot trust that the canvas manufacturer’s primer is evenly applied or even suitable for oil paint. An uneven primer can allow the oil paint to soak through and rot the canvas. This absorption of the oil can also make it difficult to blend the paint later in the painting process. By holding the primed canvas up to the light, you should be able to see any missed sections or ‘pin-holes’. To ensure a smooth surface, I very lightly sand between each layer of primer. After leaving the primed canvas to cure for 24 hours, I can start my painting in earnest.
STEP ONE
Many artists I know prefer to paint on a coloured ground as opposed to the stark white of the primer. I prefer to leave the ground white as I feel it helps to add a luminescence to the final image. For this painting I have used a photograph I took of a stormy sky to begin the composition. Using willow charcoal, I very roughly draw in the main areas of the composition. I merely use the photograph as a loose reference – so detail is irrelevant.
STEPS TWO AND THREE
Bu hikaye Artists Palette dergisinin No 167 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Giriş Yap
Bu hikaye Artists Palette dergisinin No 167 sayısından alınmıştır.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Giriş Yap
Eye of Observation
Draw, draw, and draw some more; develop your artist’s eye of observation. Sterling advice from a lady who believes that seeing shapes in paintings requires a truly ‘arty’ eye.
Pelicans To Portraits
This lady has painted everything from pelicans to portraits. She has completed commissions including cats, dogs, horses, possums, numerous beach scenes … and even a Scottish piper.
Gregory John Brennan: Lost Profession
Looking back on his early career as a bulldozer driver, this rural New South Wales painter laments the days when he was too young to appreciate his outstanding potential as an artist.
Pastels: Once We Were Important
A simplified and well named painting tells a powerful and interesting story. This clever pastel artist is delighted to share her techniques for the benefit of others.
Fibre Art
This artist feels that the hardest lesson she had to learn was to believe in herself … and once she did that, everything started to fall into place and her confidence grew.
Water Lily Magic
Instead of paper and paint, this artist uses fabric and threads … and she uses a sewing machine instead of a brush. The textures, colours and prints of fabrics thrown together with threads fascinate her, and often give inspiration for her designs.
Loading Wheat – 1920s
It is rare to see an artist displaying this level of skill and understanding in capturing the activity and atmosphere of bygone days from Australia’s agricultural history.
‘Jama' – King Cheetah
This exquisitely talented lady believes that every artist has failures … but it is important to remember that every success is better than the one before.
Blahuta's Ute
Early in the year we ran a feature about ‘Utes in the Paddock’ – a landmark project by several notable artists. In this article, one of those artists shares his story and some of his views … and describes the process of creating his own piece of an amazing collaborative work.
Artists' Easels
Many important tools are employed by artists in creating their paintings. Artists’ easels are now available in a host of styles and configurations to enhance the creative process. Some of your favourite art materials suppliers are more than pleased to highlight a selection of the many products being offered.
